Stick shift foils carjacking attempt

WICHITA — A man's attempt to carjack a vehicle in south Wichita Tuesday night was foiled by an unexpected complication: He didn't know how to drive a stick shift.

Police say a 20-year-old man had filled up his car at the QuikTrip at Seneca and 31st Street South and had returned to his vehicle when a stranger approached him at about 7:35 p.m.

The stranger demanded that the victim surrender his car, and began to reach behind his back as if to produce a weapon, police said. The victim bolted from the car and ran toward the store, and the suspect got in and tried to drive off.

But he didn't know how to work the manual transmission and the car stalled, police said, so he abandoned the car and ran east from the convenience store.

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